Nicknamed “The Big Engine”, and appropriately so, the PRR S1 was a experimental duplex locomotive of the Pennsylvania Railroad. It was designed to demonstrate the technological advantages of the duplex drive wheels. It was recognized as having the longest (140 ft 2 ½ inches) and heaviest (608,170 lbs.) rigid from reciprocating steam locomotive ever built. It was numbered 6100.

The S1 featured the streamlined style shell designed by the famous Raymond Loewy, plus the unique 6-4-4-6 wheel arrangement. The locomotive was able to achieve fast passenger train speeds mainly because articulation was not used. The cost of the S1 was $669,780.00 (or $14,671,066 today). The locomotive was completed at the PRR’s Altoona shops on December 21^st, 1938.

Following several test runs, the locomotive was displayed at the 1939 New York World’s Fair with “American Railroads” lettering on the tender, rather than “Pennsylvania Railroad”.

The 6100 began it’s passenger train services from December 1940, however due to it’s size featured many restrictions on where the locomotive could run. It was so large that it could not negotiate the track clearances on most of the lines of the PRR system. Thus it was restricted to service between Chicago, Illinois and Crestline, Ohio.

The S1 hauled many trains such as the Broadway Limited, Liberty Limited, The General, The Trail Blazer, and The Golden Arrow.

In Broadway Limited Imports first production run, they are building a model of the prototype 6100 in it’s Pennsylvania Railroad paint scheme and World’s Fair Appearance. In addition to the prototype locomotives, Broadway Limited Imports are also offering unlettered models, and one model in Tuscan Red Fantasy Paint.

All models have hand-crafted brass boilers, cabs, and tender bodies, and die cast locomotive and tender chassis. Each model comes with Broadway Limited Imports Paragon4 Sound/DC/DCC sound system with synchronized puffing smoke and integral GoPack capacitors.

Industry-leading Model Features:

• ALL-NEW Paragon4 Sound & Control System

• Synchronized Puffing Smoke with Chuff Sound

• Variable Puffing Smoke Intensity and timing

• Integral DCC Decoder with Back EMF for Industry Best Slow Speed Operation in DC and DCC

• Precision Drive Mechanism engineered for continuous heavy load towing and smooth slow speed operation

• 5-Pole Can Motor with Skew Wound Armature

• Handcrafted Brass Boiler, Cab, and Tender Body, and Heavy Die Cast Chassis for Increased Tractive Effort

• Premium Caliber Painting with Authentic Paint Schemes

• Prototypical Light Operation with Separately Controllable Headlight, Rear Light, Cab Light, Rear Marker Lights, and numberboards.

• Factory-installed Engineer and Fireman Figures

• Many Separately Applied Details such as Handrails, Grab Irons, Ladders, Piping, Cab Glass, Whistle, Brass Bell, and Many Others

• Equipped with Rubber Traction Tires for Increased Pulling Power

• Two spare flanged drivers in the box to swap out for a more prototypical appearance

• Recommended Minimum Radius: 18 inches

• Accurate Prototypical Sounds for the PRR S1 locomotive

Broadway Limited Imports is proud to introduce Paragon4: The new benchmark for premium HO sound-equipped locomotives. These DC and DCC-Sound equipped locomotives feature the ALL-NEW Paragon4 sound and control system. Each Paragon4 locomotive comes with BLI's own integral DCC Decoder factory installed. Paragon4 locomotives offer Dual Mode DC and DCC operation with superb back EMF motor control, improved DC motor control, built-in capacitor pack for more reliable electrical pick-up, industry best on-board sound with Rolling Thunder functionality, Pro Lighting Mode for prototypical light control, Switcher model for precise low speed control, recordable DCC operation for automated playback, and the same excellent detail level as Broadway Limited's Paragon3 Series models.

Paragon4 Sound & Control System Features:

• Operates in DC & DCC with improved DC speed control (use DCMaster for DC Sound)

• Built-In capacitor pack to navigate imperfect track

• Capacitor Pack automatically disabled on program track for full compatibility with JMRI Decoder Pro

• Pro Lighting Mode offers individual control of all lights on model

• Switcher Mode for precise low speed control.

• Record & Play Operation - Records and plays back sounds and movements once or repeatedly for automatic operation.

• High Resolution Audio

• Quillable Whistle for various whistle lengths and patterns

• Choice of 3 selectable Horns

• Alternate Whistle / Horn where applicable for locomotive with air horn and steam whistle - both the main whistle and alternate can be easily played

• Adjustable bell ringing interval for faster or slower bell

• Numerous user-mappable functions with available keys

• Johnson Bar Sound at Direction Change

• Multiple realistic passenger and crew sounds play on command

• Grade Crossing Automatic Signal

• Automatic Forward / Reverse Signal - When activated, stopping triggers and stop whistle toot. When moving forward from a stopped position, toots twice. When moving in reverse. toots three times.

• Chuff sound intensity varies with load.

• Individually adjustable sound volumes for each effect

• EZ Reset Button for quick return to factory default settings.

Looking for more Broadway Limited Imports 6-4-4-6 S1 Steam Locomotives? Click here!